Anyone notice how GTA III and IV are so similar?

[skyeyemx]

Apart from both taking place in Liberty City, these two games have a few similarities, especially when compared with other games of their era.

 

They both are the same "dark, gray, dirty city" style. Look at the next games, GTA Vice City and V; way more bright and colorful compared to III and IV.

 

They are a bit more story-centric and the story impacts multiple games. GTA IV had two episodes, and GTA 3's story was slightly expanded in VC, SA, and LCS, with CJ working for Joey, Tommy being a LC mob member, etc.

 

They are a bit more realistic than the other games; IIRC, if you shot a guy in the leg in GTA III, he'd start limping. Playing SA right now, this feature is absent. GTA IV's Euphoria ragdoll engine gives it similar effects, too. Plus, I felt that the cars roll over easier in III (and obviously do the same in IV).

 

And you could make a few choices in the story; choosing whether to kill some people or not in IV, and choosing when to kill some people in III (Didn't like Kenji's missions? Kill him in "Waka-Gashira Wipeout" and skip them all!).

 

[HaythamKenway]

Oh yes, I definitely see it too. Just recently I wrote in the IV section (I think) about how IV is, from a certain viewpoint, a more faithful sequel to III than VC or SA are.

 

I've argued that IV is, pretty much, III remade in 2008. There are many core ideas are shared by both games

 

• present day East coast, heavily urban environment,
• building up one city, rather than spreading far and wide,
• the protagonist as an independent gun-for-hire,
• the story goes in detail about as many diverse criminal groups as it can, rather than heavily focusing on select few (though some certainly take prominence),
• the game is relatively grounded - no jetpacks, secret army bases, mid-air plane boardings,
• focusing on the core gameplay, shedding of gimmicks and overencumbrance gathered over the years,
• side missions and activities tying up to the game's themes and the protagonist, rather than scattershot variety for variety's sake (no mob boss delivering pizza),
• more simple missions, that nonetheless offer a great deal of choice and encourage creativity and experimentation,
• grim, dark atmosphere and corresponding tone of the story

and so on. We could easily dissect both games and find many more similarities.

 

I see VC and SA as an evolution of III. Taking the same formula and building upon it, turning it in different direction. IV on the other hand took III's formula, broke it down and then reconstructed it, and this is the important part, according to then-current trends. In a way, it's a proper remake of III, it kept same core goals and ideals that III had, but modernized it, improved upon it, did new things with it.

Edited March 5, 2016 by HaythamKenway

[universetwisters]

I never really considered GTA 3 to be dark and gritty. When you compare it to Vice City or San Andreas? Of course. But even before GTA 4 came out, I never thought it to be "dark". It's only dark because all the other games from the era (sans LCS) took place in fairly sunny areas fit for a vacation. Even with the nature of the story, betrayal and everything, it still had its cartooney, tounge-in-cheek moments (albeit not trying too hard like GTA 4) like upbeat pop station, the disproportional pedestrians, and the phonebooths that would physically shake when they were ringing.

 

Hell, one thing GTA 3 has over GTA 4 come think of it is that the blue skies actually look blue and everything isn't a shade of brown, like GTA 4 was.

 

Edited March 5, 2016 by universetwisters

[PhillBellic]

I don't ever recall being inadvertently being broken out of a Police Convoy, and escaping in a Kuruma at the start of IV.

 

[Femme Fatale]

Hey! You're the guy who made that long list of complaints that you have for the whole series...It's nice to see that you changed your silly signature, and fixed your respect and disrespect list, but you're still "severely underage"...

 

Anyway, the only thing that GTA 3 and GTA 4 have in common is that they both take place in Liberty City, and they're timeline is in the same year the games were released...

[Osho]

I found Chinatown Wars much more closer to GTA III than IV. CW is more fun, and incorporates the classic feel that I found missing in IV in comparison to III. Its also less boring, has some very cool features as well as more things to do just like III.

[SmokesWithCigs]

"story centric" theres no story in III the protag doesn't even talk. he's an errand boy. every mission is go here and shoot that. imo the less story centered and the less dark and gloomy .a gta game is the better. thats why games like vice city and san andreas III and tbogt are so much fun. save that dark brooding hero crap for batman.

Edited March 10, 2016 by SmokesWithCigs

[Pedinhuh]

Oh yes, I definitely see it too. Just recently I wrote in the IV section (I think) about how IV is, from a certain viewpoint, a more faithful sequel to III than VC or SA are.

 

I've argued that IV is, pretty much, III remade in 2008. There are many core ideas are shared by both games

 

• present day East coast, heavily urban environment,
• building up one city, rather than spreading far and wide,
• the protagonist as an independent gun-for-hire,
• the story goes in detail about as many diverse criminal groups as it can, rather than heavily focusing on select few (though some certainly take prominence),
• the game is relatively grounded - no jetpacks, secret army bases, mid-air plane boardings,
• focusing on the core gameplay, shedding of gimmicks and overencumbrance gathered over the years,
• side missions and activities tying up to the game's themes and the protagonist, rather than scattershot variety for variety's sake (no mob boss delivering pizza),
• more simple missions, that nonetheless offer a great deal of choice and encourage creativity and experimentation,
• grim, dark atmosphere and corresponding tone of the story

and so on. We could easily dissect both games and find many more similarities.

 

I see VC and SA as an evolution of III. Taking the same formula and building upon it, turning it in different direction. IV on the other hand took III's formula, broke it down and then reconstructed it, and this is the important part, according to then-current trends. In a way, it's a proper remake of III, it kept same core goals and ideals that III had, but modernized it, improved upon it, did new things with it.

You forgot a very important one.

In both games the main character is driven by the wish to meet someone who screwed him over in the past.

[iiCriminnaaL]

Three years? I hope you don't mind a bump.

 

I didn't really see it that much when I played GTA IV for the first time, but the more time passes, the more similarities I find between the two games.

 

As was already mentioned, both games are set in a present day in Liberty City, provide a dark and gritty atmosphere, lead revenge stories, with a protagonist that's a gun-for-hire (and a traitorous antagonist I might add), and both are generally more grounded than their successors (I especially appreciate the "lack" of RC crap missions and exaggerated sky adventures). Not to mention that most people seem to agree that both games tend to be somewhat more atmospheric than their successors, especially when it comes to the cities' ambient sounds.

 

Since GTA IV is my favorite title in the series, I eventually find more and more appreciation for GTA III. I can imagine it being my favorite title in the 3D era, if, let's say... its release date was swapped with some of the later 3D era titles? Kinda. Or in other words, was technically more advanced. Smoother controls, grabbing into ledges, more detailed vehicle damage physics, smarter A.I., crouching, swimming, bikes, and the ability to jump out of speeding cars. As well as more character development, with a talking protagonist, a bit of character backstories, and somewhat longer cutscenes and dialogues. So, what I'm trying to say is: that all is not the fault of the execution itself, giving the fact that this was the best R* could've implemented back in 2001. More about the limitations.

[Lioshenka]

Given that one is my second favourite GTA, and the other the least favourite - I don't really see any similarities apart from the name of the city they are in.

[Algonquin Assassin]

It's pretty obvious R* looked back towards GTA III for inspiration in regards to gameplay/aesthetic qualities when they were developing GTA IV. It's as close to a remake/reboot of a previous GTA game we're ever going to get. Even though his post is a few years old what Haytham Kenway is on the money.

 

GTA IV took GTA III's concept and adapted it for a modern generation.